---
id: CVE-2026-96404
title: >-
  When Gitea's web installer is reachable against a database that already
  contains users, such as after `INSTALL_LOCK` has been reset to `false`,
  submitting the install form with an administrator username matching an
  existing account issue…
summary: >-
  When Gitea's web installer is reachable against a database that already
  contains users, such as after `INSTALL_LOCK` has been reset to `false`,
  submitting the install form with an administrator username matching an
  existing account issue…
severity: high
cvss: 8.1
cvssVector: 'CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H'
cwe:
  - CWE-287
vendor: gitea
product: gitea
affected:
  - gitea < 28.0.0
patched:
  - gitea 28.0.0
published: '2026-10-06'
updated: '2026-10-13'
sourceUpdated: '2026-10-13T15:36:13.843'
source: NVD
sourceUrl: 'https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-96404'
references:
  - url: 'https://blog.gitea.com/release-of-28.0.0/'
    label: 88ee5874-cf24-4952-aea0-31affedb7ff2
  - url: 'https://github.com/go-gitea/gitea/pull/39400'
    label: 88ee5874-cf24-4952-aea0-31affedb7ff2
  - url: 'https://github.com/go-gitea/gitea/releases/tag/v28.0.0'
    label: 88ee5874-cf24-4952-aea0-31affedb7ff2
  - url: 'https://github.com/go-gitea/gitea/security/advisories/GHSA-9h7g-h754-c8x2'
    label: 88ee5874-cf24-4952-aea0-31affedb7ff2
  - url: >-
      https://security.access.redhat.com/data/csaf/v2/vex/2026/cve-2026-96404.json
  - url: 'https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2026-96404'
  - url: 'https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-96404'
tags:
  - nvd
  - cve.org
  - csaf
  - vex
  - red-hat
epss: 0.00582
epssPercentile: 0.47638
ssvc:
  exploitation: none
  automatable: 'no'
  technicalImpact: total
  timestamp: '2026-10-07T14:26:36.461394Z'
ingestedAt: '2026-10-06T20:16:42.494Z'
---

## Overview

When Gitea's web installer is reachable against a database that already contains users, such as after `INSTALL_LOCK` has been reset to `false`, submitting the install form with an administrator username matching an existing account issued an authenticated session for that account without verifying its password. If the account is an administrator, the session grants full administrative access, including changing the account's password. Databases with a single user also did not require the reinstall confirmation.

## Affected

- `gitea < 28.0.0`

## Remediation

Upgrade past the affected range:

- `gitea 28.0.0`

## Vendor advisories

- **Red Hat VEX** · updated 2026-10-07 · [vex](https://security.access.redhat.com/data/csaf/v2/vex/2026/cve-2026-96404.json)